A former CEO for two large defense contractors, Havenstein has proposed a three-phase economic plan – called “8.15.17/25,000” – with the goal of creating 25,000 new jobs by August 15, 2017.

Phase one would reduce the business profits tax from 8.5 percent to 7.4 percent and require a 2.5 percent “efficiency reduction” across the state government. It would also require a Jobs Impact Assessment (JIA) on any new regulation, tax proposal or other legislation that will impact businesses to include an estimate of jobs created or lost.

Phase two would include a “dialogue” between businesses, colleges and local schools to better align education goals with workforce needs and a “systematic and comprehensive” review of all regulations.

Phase three calls for reaching out to neighboring states to relocate to New Hampshire. “New Hampshire’s enhanced low tax reputation will allow us to compete and win, if we have a person in the Governor’s office who will champion New Hampshire as an economic destination, and who can make the case that it’s the best place to start and grow a business.”

Havenstein says he’s opposed to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, but now that both are law in New Hampshire, he says he’s focused on a “long-term solution.”

“[T]he fact of the matter is we have a law, we have a law with regard to Medicaid expansion, and we have a law that would sunset in two and a half years, and that's problematic. And we need to face into that problem now, not wait two and half years and not do anything about it.

We've had a lack of leadership into facing into problems like that. I'm going to face into it, work with the legislature that voted in and approved this current bill to find a solution, a long-term solution that we can afford.”

Havenstein opposes the Northern Pass project as currently proposed, saying it does not address the “balanced approach” to New Hampshire’s energy needs that he favors.

“I think the real question is, "what do we do to make Northern Pass or projects like Northern Pass work?" Cause clearly we have to bring lower cost energy, base electricity in this case, into our region, into the grid. That's good for New Hampshire, that's good for our citizens, anything that can reduce our rates, but do it in a balanced way and right now I don't think we have a balanced approach to that project, so I'm not in favor of it.”

Pages

Politics

3:48 am

Wed November 5, 2014

Democrat Maggie Hassan defeated Republican Walt Havenstein to claim a second term as governor. Despite a solid showing by Havenstein it was one of the first state races to be called last night.

Standing before her supporters in Manchester, Hassan cited familiar priorities and stressed that much work remains to be done.

“Together we will make it easier for our families to get ahead, by continuing our healthcare expansion, by holding down the cost of higher education, and by restoring or increasing the minimum wage in New Hampshire,” she said.

Governors in New Hampshire are rarely tossed after a single term, but this race ended up being tougher than expected. Walt Havenstein started a thirty point underdog, but the race became increasingly closer as the season progressed.

“To go from a standing start – 7 percent name recognition and Judy didn’t know who they were – to bringing this race to a competitive finish is an incredible accomplishment,” remembered Havenstein as he conceded defeat, “and you should all be proud of what you have done.”

Havenstein, who led two defense contracting firms, including BAE systems, dropped more than $2 million dollars of his own money into this race, but even so top Republicans knew Havenstein faced long odds.

“This contest was a little bit David and Goliath as I think everybody knows,” said State Senator Jeb Bradley, “Our David, Walt Havenstein fought the fight of his life, and came very close tonight,”

Arizona Senator and former Republican presidential nominee John McCain was out campaigning for gubernatorial hopeful Walt Havenstein Sunday.

McCain and Havenstein greeted people as they dined at the Puritan Backroom restaurant in Manchester, shaking hands and posing for pictures. McCain says he came to lend Havenstein support in what he calls his ‘second favorite state’ because of Havenstein’s business background.

New Hampshire’s governor’s race is flying a bit under the radar. Most of this season’s campaign drama – not to mention spending – is focused on the U.S. Senate and Congressional races.

But no one would say that incumbent Democrat Maggie Hassan has it entirely locked up. Republican challenger Walt Havenstein is seen as the underdog, but there are political factors – both national and local, that could help him beat a path to the governor’s office.

The Exchange

9:00 am

Tue October 21, 2014

Laura Knoy sits down with Walt Havenstein for an in-depth discussion about the issues on New Hampshire voters’ minds this election season. This special broadcast is a part of our election series presented in partnership with the Rudman Center at the UNH School of Law.

More information about NHPR's special election series presented with UNH Law School can be found here.

Havenstein’s overall campaign is focused on the state’s economy. At the taping of NHPR’s “Rudman Center Conversations with the Candidates” Havenstein said his view of New Hampshire’s poor business climate was cemented when his 31-year-old son had to leave the state in order to take the next step in his tech career.

Join Laura Knoy for an in-depth discussion with the candidates about the issues on New Hampshire voters’ minds this election season. Each forum will be broadcast the following day during The Exchange at 9 am on the stations of NHPR.

NH News

12:04 pm

Thu October 16, 2014

In a debate Thursday morning on WGIR, Governor Maggie Hassan repeatedly went after Republican Walt Havenstein for a pledge he signed earlier this year with the conservative group Americans for Prosperity.

“By singing that Koch brothers pledge, he is pledging to undo our Medicaid expansion, he’s pledging no matter what to do what the Koch brothers and Americans for Prosperity tell him to do.”

Governor Maggie Hassan touted her economic credentials at a campaign stop at a Manchester marketing company Tuesday. She also fired a few shots at her opponent, Walt Havenstein.

Hassan argued she’s better equipped to help small businesses than rival Walt Havenstein. Internet marketing company Commonplaces was a beneficiary of job training grants. Hassan championed that program and what she terms bipartisan successes like increasing higher ed funding, raising the gas tax and expanding Medicaid.

Newscast

6:35 am

Mon September 29, 2014

New Hampshire's gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates are addressing energy industry leaders, consumers and policy makers at an annual summit in Concord.

The New Hampshire Energy Summit being held Monday is organized by the Dupont Group and the New Hampshire Independent Energy Council, a coalition of non-utility electric generators, renewable generation developers, private transmission companies and electricity suppliers.

Gov. Maggie Hassan and her Republican challenger both will speak, as will U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Scott Brown.

Politics

3:25 pm

Fri September 26, 2014

Walt Havenstein campaigned at a Manchester charter school with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. As NHPR’s Josh Rogers reports the GOP gubernatorial hopeful met with students and pressed the message that NH needs more choice in public education.

Walt Havenstein and Bobby Jindal toured classrooms at Polaris charter school on Manchester’s West Side. Along the way, Havenstein took some blunt questions from the students.

What Havenstein has dubbed 'Pledge 2.0' not only calls for opposition to a sales or income tax but also for politicians to “oppose any policy that commits New Hampshire taxpayers to unfunded obligations.”

Walt Havenstein says the traditional pledge to oppose new broad-based taxes is no longer enough. And can’t simply be a “political commitment.”

For decades, New Hampshire governors and candidates have promised to veto a personal income or general sales tax. Havenstein will be signing the pledge Monday in Concord, where he will be joined by Republican legislative leaders.

Walt Havenstein didn’t always run strong in this race but he won by nearly 20 points over Andrew Hemingway. He said voters in the general election will have a clear choice.

“The choice is going to be about the future of our state and whether or not we’re gonna maintain and stay in this economic stagnation or if we’re actually gonna take a bold course to change our economic outcome for the future prosperity of our state.”

Fri September 5, 2014

As former President of BAE Systems, Walt Havenstein led one of New Hampshire’s largest employers. That’s one reason top Republicans encouraged the millionaire business-man to get into the governor’s race. Havenstein has vastly outspent his Republican opponent but this race remains tight.

Elections 2014

4:00 pm

Fri August 29, 2014

We continue our conversations with Republicans running in the gubernatorial race with former BAE Systems CEO Walt Havenstein.

You've proposed as part of your jobs plan cutting business profit taxes by just over 1%. Given the shortfalls that we've seen in business tax revenue in this current budget, how confident can we be that revenue will offset those cuts?

Alleged violations of the state’s campaign finance rules are once again front and center in the New Hampshire governor’s race, with the top candidates on the receiving end of accusations that they accepted illegal donations.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party was first out of the gate Tuesday, asking Attorney General Joe Foster to investigate Republican candidate Walt Havenstein for “multiple violations,” including allegedly taking money from political action committees that failed to register with the state.

Politics

6:23 pm

Wed August 20, 2014

Thanks to nearly $1.5 million from his own pocket, Republican candidate for governor Walt Havenstein is keeping pace in the race for campaign money with Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan.

According to reports filed today with the Secretary of State, Havenstein reports a campaign war chest of $1,989,876. That includes $1,474,000 in personal loans and another $17,000 from other family members.

NH News

5:06 pm

Wed August 20, 2014

Republican candidates for Governor, Walt Havenstein and Andrew Hemingway, squared off Wednesday morning on WGIR. Their debate was heated and, at times, personal.

While this race remains tough to call, in this debate, Andrew Hemingway acted the part of underdog. He went after Walt Havenstein repeatedly, hoping to turn what Havenstein says is his strength—his experience leading billion dollar defense companies—into an example of how moneyed interests use campaign contributions to get their way at tax payers’ expense.

Politics

3:24 pm

Mon June 30, 2014

The 3-2 vote by clears the way for Republican Walt Havenstein to run for governor. Havenstein sought the hearing after Democrats argued the former defense contractor hadn’t met the 7-year residency requirement set by the state constitution.

At issue was whether Havenstein surrendered New Hampshire as his domicile by living part time in Maryland from 2007-2012.

By a 3-2 vote, in which democratic member Martha Van Oot and joined Republicans Michael Eaton and Brad Cook, the commission said no.

NH News

3:15 pm

Mon June 23, 2014

The state's Ballot Law Commission won't delay a hearing on the residency of Republican candidate for governor Walt Havenstein.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party said Monday that it has filed a petition challenging Havenstein's claim that he's a legal resident of New Hampshire. The party says he was a resident of Maryland in 2010 and 2011, which would disqualify him from running for office here. Candidates for governor must live in New Hampshire for at least seven years.

Havenstein said he has owned a home and voted in New Hampshire for the past 15 years.